


Like magnets.

by Made



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, a lot of stuff, alternative universe, cute stuff, hot stuff, no powers, sad stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-08-27 05:50:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8389627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Made/pseuds/Made
Summary: The closer Clark tries to get to Bruce, the further he goes away.The further Bruce tries to get away from Clark, the closer he gets.They are like magnets.





	1. Chapter 1

**“ -** **Wayne Enterprises to help a thousand students to get their degrees,,**

Every normal people in town reads this and either praises the company for being so caring of others one more time or, denounces how this is all about a detour to get more money. Clark is no normal people, when he reads this his mind makes a quick addition whom the result makes him scream in joy. Every single one of his co-workers turns to look at him. Jerry shakes his head in disbelief.

"Calm down your pheromones city boy!" he shouts and half of the journalists laugh.

Clark apologizes and tries to suppress a blush (which doesn't work, never did).

He takes a deep breath his smile covering his face. The result of a simple addition could have such an effect on him, yes. Paying scholarships to a thousand students meant a sixty millions dollars action for this company, and when one of their action was worth a fifty millions dollars the actual Bruce Wayne would always give a speech or two and some interviews. This meant new content for Clark to look, it meant an occasion to see Bruce for real again, and that was more than enough to make him scream; no matter how weird he could look to his colleagues, it's not like they could change their minds about him anytime soon.

He goes straight up to the official website to see if there was any date of an upcoming event. Nothing was up yet but he was ready to refresh the page every five minutes. Doing everything but his job he thinks about the last time he went to see Bruce giving a speech. It was almost exactly four months ago he managed to get at the very front, the pictures he has from that day are the very best he ever did of mister Wayne. Unfortunately there aren't only good things that came out of that day, there is also this look he received from he man he adored so much. A look that shook him to his bones before it froze him. Bruce looked at him like Clark was someone he hated deeply, someone he recognized as a threat. Now Clark produces tons of events regarding Bruce in his mind that never happened and never will, but this one was one that he could never have think about but hated to see happening and above all didn't understand. Why would Bruce look at him like someone who hurted him? Like someone he knew at all? It didn't make any sense.

He shivered seeing the dark brown eyes back on him, It felt awful, like the time he broke his cousin's nose and his mom looked at him with a disappointed look for the first time in his life.

He was 16.

That really does make him feel like shit.

Could he try and see the good side of it and say it at least made a connection between him and Bruce? Even though it wasn't the one he hoped, at least it was something...

He received a projectile on the top of his head that took him out of this crazy thoughts. Jerry had thrown a bullet at him. For no actual reason, it was just Jerry. Clark didn't even bothered looking at him because he knew the man would act like nothing. Jerry was like a daily test, the sport reporter didn't know it but he was testing the progresses Clark made at not using his fists. He was succeeding for almost two years now and never lost control. In the hardest times he would just go and check the Bruce Wayne tag on Tumblr, it helped tremendously.

He refreshed the page for the fifth time and there was a date, Wayne would make a statement at the metropolis mall at the end of the month. _He was coming in_ **_his_ ** _town_ , Clark wouldn't even have to move for this one.

He shouted.

"Oh for fuck's sake Kent!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry."

He hides behind his computer for the rest of the day but his smile couldn't be missed, it was too huge.


	2. Chapter 2

Clark had been working hard the entire month to finish his article so when he put a final point on it he relaxed against his chair. 

He had negotiated a entire five minutes with his boss (five minutes is a hell lot of time when it comes to his boss) to be freed on Friday afternoon. His conditions was for Clark to finish his article about the renovation of Metropolis’ highs and  to find someone to replace him to go interviewing Harvey Dent with Loïs. For once in his life he got very and lucky and didn’t even had to marchandise with his colleague to take his place. No one would want to work with Loïs because you basically found yourself doing nothing but hold the microphone for her, no one but Jerry. 

“City boy, I see that you going with Loïs on Friday?” Jerry came to ask him two days before. He had sitten on Clark’s office with assurance passing a hand on his long blond hair, his sly tiny blue eyes on him. “You’re ready? She can be a bit hard to handle, you know things like that, you better be cautious with them.” he blinked. 

“When is it that you stop talking about women like there were objects?” Clark asks, Jerry idiocy never ceasing to amaze him. 

“Hey, easy there.” he laughed surprised, Clark would never strike back at him usually but when it came to that he just couldn’t help. “I’m sorry ok? Truth is, I’m jealous I wanted to go.” 

That’s when Clark took his chance and let him his place, that way Jerry and he could both have their little moment with the person they wanted. He smiled thinking about later on, imagining Bruce in a dark grey suit his deep voice and calm gaze occupying the center of the mall like an army conquer lands, except that Clark’s heart has already won over.  

 

“Kent! The hell you are still doing here.” Clark jumped out of the thought he was sitting on and blinked at his boss. “Lane is already gone.” 

“Jerry said he would replace me..” 

“I doubt that, he is in the kitchen right now, you should hurry to get your ass to Gotham, you better not keep the prosecutor waiting.” 

Clark shook his head, there has to be a misunderstanding, Jerry was determined and even happy to go. He grab his belongings and walked to the kitchen knocking himself against the door frames too confused. When he got there he saw Jerry surrounded by four other journalists bursting out laughing certainly thanks to one of his misplaced joke that he mastered so well. 

“Jerry, weren’t you supposed to go with Loïs.” Clark asked calmly still hoping for a logical explanation. 

“Oh, I changed my mind, she talks too much, if you catch a train now you can still get there at time.” he smiles friendly like he had just given vital piece of advice to Clark for free just because he was a good soul. His expression said - no need to thank me, he played it so good, he had to be believing in it. 

“Why are you doing this? I, I made plans...” Clark asks his words barely audible. 

“Sorry, what?” Jerry asks slightly bending toward Clark a hand behind his ear. “Plans? Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t even imagine you knew what that was.” 

Clark heard giggle before he couldn’t hear anything else with his heart pulsing too hard, he started to breath heavily and blinked, his vision was getting blurry. He took a few steps back furtively to keep himself from hurting anyone. He ran all the way down stairs before throwing his whole weight against the locked back door seriously damaging it and his shoulder. He took a moment to realize a pouring rain was falling, but once he was aware of that it was like the could feel every drop on his body falling one by one, like his hopes on the asphalt following one, by, one. He put his coat on still not quite able to protect himself.

 

 

After ten minutes walking under the rain to get to the station, the cold water finally shut down the sensation of boiling he felt inside, he knew he would soon start shivering and shaking to his bones but he couldn’t care less. He was trying and failing not to imagine himself beating the hell out of Jerry. He shook his head vigorously his teeth tightened he need to be clever than this. Do what his parents always told him, be clever. So far Jerry was winning, Clark just understood that he knew, he knew Clark wanted to do something out of work, which happened very rarely, and as soon as he knew it did everything to prevent. Not only did he smashed Clark’s plans but he also gave him the hope that he was going to be able to achieve them before doing so. Clark didn’t have the slightest idea why anyone would hate him that much to spend all this energy to make him feel bad. He remembered the gaze Bruce gave him and thought maybe he was just meant to be hated… 

He looked up not feeling anymore rain but still hearing it, to see nothing but dark It wasn’t the sky, it was an umbrella, he looked at his side to see whose. 

“Lex?” 

“Hello Clark, it’s good to see you, going somewhere?” Lex asks his thin lips forming into a smile.

“Yeah, I have to go to Gotham for an interview I’m probably going to be late I… since when do you take the train?” Clark asks laughing, Lex is at the head of a company worth a several billion dollars. Within the long years that he spent being his friend he never saw him using or doing or even approaching something that was meant to be common.

“I don’t, I was in my car and I saw you, let me drive you there that’s my destination too.” 

Clark didn’t have the time to formulate any sort of answer that Lex already lead him toward his SUV a hand around his wrist. 

 

Clark never managed to be acknowledged by others let alone appreciated, it didn’t get better when he entered high school. No matter that there were a lot more students it didn’t gave him more chances, those who already know him quickly described him as weird to each of their new friend explaining how he could get violent and pass out for no apparent reason and how we weren’t even sure he was from this planet. 

That’s why one day, while he was sitting in the quickest stairs he could found and Lex came talk to him, he stammered before being able to answer too struck. Lex was a senior year that everyone knew because along with Wayne Enterprises, LexCorp was one of the biggest conglomerate of the country. This day he introduced himself for a long while, Clark had listened carefully. 

“What the hell are you doing in high school?” He had asked at the end after understanding that he was probably the most intelligent person in town. 

“I made a bet with my dad.” He had answered with a smile, they were rare.

“I make stupid bets with my dad too.” Clark said before laughing at them. 

Since then he had became his only and best friend. They could spend week without talking to each other but when they needed each other or just felt like talking they would take back the way of their friendship like they never stopped. 

 

 

“You seem bothered Clark.” Lex’ soft yet imposing voice said right to his ear. Clark realized Lex was sitting right next to him in the car drying his hair with a towel. Clark smiled at the meticulous touch and at the concern of his friend, what was he supposed to say. “What happened at work?” 

Clark laughed at Lex being Lex. “Nothing, I just wished to do something else instead of this interview, but I have no choice.” 

“I always told you you were too good for this job, you should quit.” 

“I can’t just quit.” 

“Yes you can, do your own thing, write about things that really interest you.” 

“Yes sure Oprah you are right.” Clark smiled at his friend who shook his head. 

“At least you know I’m right, what’s the last thing you write about?” 

“Metropolis highs.” 

“Really?” Lex stopped his work on Clark’s head interested. “What is there to say about it?”

“Nothing, except it’s buildings, we just have to make a paper on it because it’s one of the event of the year.” 

“Yes, right, you didn’t come through any problem investigating about it?” 

“No, I just went to see the architecture, the company…” 

“Who did you talk to? You remember their names?” 

“Lex what’s wrong? Why are you that interested?” Clark looked straight into the older man’s eyes, he recognize this expression he had, it was one he didn’t like, one which meant issues. Lex looked away sighing. “Tell me.” Clark insisted. 

“It’s nothing, just business you know, I wanted this deal and I still don’t know who got it, I’m sorry I shouldn’t be asking you, work can be bothering right?” he gave a weak smile along with his explanations. 

“Ok, well the names will be on the article it’s nothing classified really, I can even give you their numbers they are very transparent.” 

“All right, thank you my friend.” 

“No problem Alexander…” 

“Don’t call me that Kent.” Lex said punching him in the shoulder. 

“Ok, ok.” Clark laughs he was just testing him by calling him by his full name, Lex had the reaction he wanted. 

The businessman took hold of his wrist squeezing the back of Clark’s hand with his thumb. “I just need you to be safe Clark.” 

“I always am Lex, I assure you.” 

 

 

Clark was finally in front of Gotham’s courthouse, he was also dizzy, he chest hurt and so did his shoulder. He coughed several times and laughed at himself, which made him coughed some more. It was six in the afternoon Bruce was going to start his speech and Clark wasn’t there. He got up the huge stairs leading to the entry, the sooner he finished this interview, the sooner he could go home cry over his shitty destiny. 

“Clark?!” He stopped, this was Loïs. “What are you doing here?” 

“We have an interview to do right?” 

“Well, it’s finished already Mister Dent rescheduled I told Jerry to tell you all he didn’t?” Clark felt his legs give out under the weight of disbelief. “This wouldn’t happen if you had a phone… Clark?” She took a step back scared. Ever since she saw Clark losing control the day Lex got shot at the school reunion she has been keeping her distance from him. 

“I’m fine.” Clark said lying, he took a few deep breaths.

“Ok, I’m going to go then.” 

Hearing that Clark realized he could be back town too now, maybe Bruce will still be there. “Are you going back to Metropolis?”  

“No, I have a few questions to ask to the Police chief officer Gordon.” 

“Ok, see you at work.” 

Clark hurtled down and ran all the way to the train station to catch the first train back to Metropolis. 

He slept during the three hours journey and did a dream he was used to do. His parents would be walking down the streets under the look of a grey sky, his mother had a pink dress that he never saw her wearing in real life and his father his usual brown leather jacket. At some point Jonathan stops walking and Martha continues alone. 

He wakes up with a voice telling him they had reached the terminus, he promptly gets his coat and wallet before getting out. 

 

Most of his body was hurting and his heart was beating too fast, he decided to run anyway, the mall was just a few streets away. He arrived by the front doors out of breath, it was eight in the evening and the place was full. From the street he could see the stage where Bruce probably been, he tries and breath properly. 

“

Mister Wayne? Is he…” he ask to a young woman passing by. 

“He just left.” She answered shaking her head negatively before getting on her way. 

Clark bends forward hands on his knees catching his breath back and wondering how he could have think he would have a good luck for once. He walks mechanically to the bus station to get home this was about the best thing he can do now that all his hopes were gone. He sat once there putting a hand over his chest, his heart was beating so hard he could only feel that. He had been too much drown into finishing his article this month that he didn’t even go to get his meds. He fucked up he thought, Clark you fucked up. If he died now, here, sitting at this bus station that would be the most ridiculous death of all. He laughed and coughed as a reaction. 

 

He felt this terrible and very particular pain in his chest that left him breathless and fell on his knees. He blinked several time, at the other side of the street he swore he could see Bruce Wayne getting out of a car. He blinked again, but once his eyes were opened his vision was too blurry to see anything. He felt a second wave of pain before passing out. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark's pov.

Clark had ran all around Metropolis to get all the input possible on Metropolis’ highs and pull up a good article enough for his boss to get off his back. He had trusted Jerry and listened to him saying how much he wanted to go work with his crush. He had bought a new memory card to record 4k footage. He had told his mother. He had finally changed his glasses to respect his new prescription to make sure he would see.  He had put his journal on his wallet, registered to be sitting with other journalists at the events even though his boss didn’t want anyone to cover that, took an actual breakfast on Friday morning, ran from a town to another. He had even _tried_ to fix his hair.

All this so he could see Bruce Wayne in decent conditions.

But he didn’t got to see him and ended up in hospital instead.

 

“You need to be more careful! If you continue like that you aren’t going to get past your thirties, I’m not joking Mister Kent! Not taking meds for two weeks?! If you wanted to die you could also jump under a train right away that would have been faster, I’m hallucinating with you I swear I am, what is wrong with you? You are young, you are doing the job of your dream, respect your god damn body for fuck’s sake! Find a wife to help you keep your shit together, I don’t know just do something before your stupidity kills you!”

That’s all that was written on the doctor’s angry looks. He didn’t say it because he said it enough before but Clark knew this is what he wanted to burst out. Instead Doctor Hopszc just signed a paper that he handed to Clark.

“You take your goddamn medication and rest for the week.”

“But…”

“Two weeks.” The doctor said daring Clark to respond again, which he didn’t.

 

Clark had a hard time doing anything that involved moving and breathing, so he had a hard time doing anything. It took him a tremendous strength to get to the bus station, stay up in the packed bus and get upstairs. Once in his apartment he fell into his couch that was at least comfy. Lex had offered it to him when he moved in and Clark had been preferring it to his bed ever since.

He reached out for his wallet to take his computer, he needed to get to his mother, that was the only person always able to save the day. They would always call each other every sunday. After church Martha would go to the small town’s coffee shop and use a computer to login the skype account that Clark opened for her. It was their moment of reunion for Clark to say everything that happened in his week. He wouldn’t complain about his colleagues because he knew it  would hurt her to hear that it was still not going well with other people but he somewhat also knew that she already felt that. So instead he would tell all the news he would have got during the previous days about Bruce, talk about the flowers he chose for the upcoming one, and ramble some more about Bruce. And his mother would just listen as she knows how to and give some of her precious advice when needed.

Except that this sunday “Mommy” wasn’t online which wasn’t normal. Clark sent a few messages waiting for an answer. He looked around his fairly messy apartment when he noticed letters on the floor. He painfully got to it, the first one was a bill, the second too, the third too, the fourth was one from his mother, he stopped there that’s the only one that interested him. He quickly opened it still scared of what he could read. He read it quickly and sighed, she was ok.

 

_My son,_

_As you certainly remember the snow always comes to visit our farm first, this year it didn’t do any different. I’m stuck here but don’t worry Christian comes every two days to check on me, he also always ask after you._

_Enjoy your time until christmas, I have the feeling you are going to get lucky… Come and see me for the festivities._

_Your loving mom,_

 

Clark went back to sit, he was hoping his mother was right because this week set itself high in the the never-ending list of the unluckiest moments of his life.

 

Something caught his attention, his journal was pointing out of his wallet. He took it and opened it after hesitating a bit. He got on the page where there was this picture of his mother next to Bruce with the signature of the businessman on it. “Get well soon Clark, Bruce Wayne.” were written in a calligraphy handwriting. Once Clark was at the hospital for a surgery he messed Bruce coming to Metropolis (again), Martha had went there for him and got this picture and autograph. Clark had ask her every possible question about him and she had answered as much as she could. What struck him was that she said Bruce felt a bit embarrassed while Clark thought he would be used to it. He felt bad at the time maybe he was asking too much to someone who was in fact only a human, did he even have the right to love him that much? While he didn’t even really know him? Sometimes Clark thought he was a tight crazy his attitude was nothing near sane. But then he would see something about Bruce a picture, a video, an article underlining how out of this world he was and Clark would just feel it in his chest. His father always told him that really things: “really things you feel them in your chest.” Well Clark was feeling right from his chest that Bruce wasn’t about something that went wrong about him, it was about the only single thing that went right in him.

Cark thought he had the right to cry for that one and let the tears go until it took him to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

He woke up by the sound of his doorbell, it felt like it was screaming right inside his ears.

 

“I’m, i’m coming…” He stood up and plodded to the door.

“Mister Kent?” It was a young man dressed as a waiter.

“Yes?”

“This is for you.” he showed him a bag. “Enjoy your meal brought to you by the Lazar’s restaurant.”

“I didn’t order anything, you must be mistaking.”

“Someone must have done it for you but i’m certain it’s the address.”

“But, it doesn’t make sense.”

“Please take it or the boss will be mad, you don’t want me to lose my job do you?”

“No, no I don’t.” Clark said shaking his head vigorously.

“Then take it and just enjoy it sir, please.”

 

Clark took the bag loosely and couldn’t add anything to the young man quickly disappearing into the stairs. He closed the door behind him and looked into the bag the smell making him realize how hungry he was. He took the paper that was in it.

**Reminder to take your medication with it,**

And nothing more, no signature no matter how many times Clark turned the card around. He went to sit down before his legs betrayed him again.

“What the actual…” One of his favorite meal was in, beautifully packed.

It was a tortillas but he was certain that Lazar didn’t cooked that, he would have known it. He tried to think about who could have done it and the answer was obvious : Lex. It had to be him. Clark got his computer and open the iMessage app that his friend forced him to get since he won’t get a phone.

 

 

> \- Hey, did you just send food right at my door?
> 
> I’m sorry Clark, Lex isn’t in the country right now he asked me to let you know if you tried to join him.
> 
> \- Amanda?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> \- Thank you for letting me know, when did he left?
> 
> Two days ago. Is there an emergency? if you want I can try and reach him.
> 
> \- No, everything is fine thank you.
> 
> All right.
> 
>  

Now Clark could start to freak out. He couldn't tell who could know where he lived he told basically no one at work, could Jerry find out? There could be a bad surprise in the food that wouldn’t be the first time he would to it. Or maybe it was just all a misunderstanding, maybe someone had the same name as him and the same favorite dish… and the same address. Clark sighed resting his back against his couch. He was shook by a coughing fit. If he wasn’t going to eat this, he still needed to take his medications.

After hiding the bag away in his fridge unable to throw away food but deciding not to think about it anymore and having no strength to cook so he convinced himself he will do with a sandwich. Once back on his couch he took a look back at the letters and saw one was from the hospital. Jesus he thought, he would certainly have a crazy bill to pay. He opened the letter because at this point he couldn’t get lower no matter the due to pay.

The bill was detailed but Clark only looked at the 40 000 dollars of total. He blinked several times to be sure he was seeing what he was seeing, the next line was : due to pay : 0 dollar. That had to be a mistake. Clark login his social security account, his entire medical history was here and so was his last journey at the hospital. It was specified there too that the bill had been pay off three hours ago; when he was asleep. Clark thought he was going to go crazy in about zero second but he recalled his mother’s words. _I have the feeling you are going to get lucky_. He wasn’t used to luck, that day he discovered it had the taste of tortillas.

 

* * *

 

 

Clark doesn’t know what time of what day it is, he only knows he never felt as shitty in his entire life. He can’t breath with his nose, when he does so with his throat it hurts. His head hurts at every heartbeat. His body hurts weather he is sitting or lying down. Clark is only one word: hurting.

He probably should be drinking some water but he also probably shouldn’t stand. What about his medicines? When was the last time he took them? The doorbell keeps him from thinking about it. He tells his body to stand up but it won’t listen, it just won’t. Trying to shout was even less realistic so he just remained there.

Clark wakes up not knowing when he had fallen asleep. Everything was fuzzy, he could barely recognize his own apartment in front of his eyes. He breathed in deeply and had to cough right after, a long one that shook his entire body. He let his head fall thinking it would find the softness of his couch but it ended up on a strong arm insisted. He turned his head to the side slowly, he blinked, he was seeing Bruce Wayne. The next second he wasn’t, the next second he was again. The last second he was falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the last time it ends like that I (almost) promise you.


	4. Chapter 4

 

When Clark woke up this morning he had his day entirely planed. It was the first time since he wasn’t even able to tell how long that he was actually going to go out and he did not want it to end up with someone, let’s say him, passing out. So he did something he never does, he planned things. The plan was clear, simple, he will be back home before he could notice he had went out. Nothing was going to go wrong, no, not a single thing. He would go to work, talk with his boss, have this lunch with Lex which he was forcing him to have and be back home to die in peace in his couch. That was it. 

Once at work he wasn’t surprised to see his coworkers didn’t even notice he had been away. He was relieved because it meant he had zero explanation to give which was a good point. He was trying to keep track of positive things to convince himself that no, the course of his life was not being written by some sort of sadistic. 

He thought he should stop at his desk to check if some work had been left on it. Strangely there was nothing to be found except for some letters. He took them to check who had sent things to him. 

 

“Oh Clark!” He turns around to find Loïs waving at him. She had this weird look from when she hasn’t been sleeping. “I have been looking for Jerry everywhere, did you happen to see him?” 

“No, no I did not.” He replaces his glasses on his nose embarrassed that he could have thought she was going to ask about him. 

“Oh, ok, well, tell me if you do, alright? Gotta go.” 

“Alright, sure, I will” Clark answers to a Loïs who is already far. He sighs, he would be home soon, home soon, soon… 

“

 

Kent!” Clark jumps in place, his boss was dangerously getting closer to him after he had shouted his name. He checked the hour to see their meeting was supposed to be in four minutes. He had failed to arrive the five minutes in advanced which was required when having an appointment with the boss. 

Clark opens his mouth to say something but the older man puts a hand that is meant to be gentle but ends up being too firm on his shoulder and takes the letters out of Clark’s hand. 

“Leave this there, come in my office please.” 

Clark nods but he is too astonished to think. Did he just heard the word “please” coming out of his mouth? He was either mad at him and was planning on dragging him there to kill him privately or… or nothing, Clark couldn’t even begin to think of an assumption in which this could possibly be really positive. Not that he was being overwhelmed by his positivity events count... 

 

 

They come in and he is asked to close the door behind him. He does so taking a deep breath and his decision. He had to talk first if he wanted a chance of survival. 

“Look sir, I’m so very sorry for this I…” 

“Please don’t apologize.” He stops him with a raised hand. “You don’t have to apologize for being sick, in fact the only thing that you should have done is telling us.” 

“I’m sorry.” He gets a “seriously?” look and bites his lip. “I’m s… I, I mean, it won’t happen again, I will just take back work from where I felt it and catch up with everything.” 

“No, no, no, that’s not what you are going to do, you are going to go home and take care of your sick ass, alright? Just take some vacation, that’s what you are going to do.” 

“But…” 

“You don’t really have a choice here Kent.” 

“Are you punishing me or something?” 

“No, I told you it was fine, you not being here did not affect the journal, you did nothing wrong, you are sick, take a break, period.” 

Clark looks at him as if it could somehow allow him to understand what was going on. But then he recalled his life didn’t make much sense anyway so he just left. 

 

 

 

On his way out he wondered if he actually just lost his job or if his boss was just being comprehensive. How could he become a human being with an actual heart from a day to another? Now that he thought of it he seemed stressed, like he had some kind of pressure on him, but again that was nothing like him. Clark could not believe what just happened was ok, this man never liked him it, and he wouldn’t even have hired him in the first place if he hadn’t been obliged to. Clark was almost certain now, he was damned. But he could count one more positive event, things couldn’t get worse now, could they? 

 

“Clark, Clark!!!” He is already out on the busy street when he hears his name, he turns around looking for the person calling him. “Clark!” He is forced to turn around as he is being drawn by the arm. “Clark, we need to go now!” Jerry is screaming at him not minding that they are face to face and in public. He looks awful, Clark never saw him like this usually he always has ever aspect of how he looks under control. 

Clark slowly takes a step back, turns around and just goes away because honestly what Jerry needs, and what he has been up to is not close to even begin to be one of his 99 million problems.

 

“What the fuck Clark! Listen to me!” He runs after him and gets a tight grip of his arm. “Follow me, I will explain later!” 

“Let go of me.”

“No, you need to fucking listen to me and trust me.” 

“Trust you?” Clark can’t quite believe he dared to pronounce those words. 

“Yes, look dude I know I have always officially been a jerk to you, but it was for work! I…” He goes on but Clark can’t pay attention, his eyes look like they are about to jumps out of their places and his veins seem to be wanting to do the exact same thing. Clark isn’t even sure he is in his right state, if he has one, and he doesn’t need to know. He already lost enough time because of him. 

“Jerry let go of me, just let go, I don’t care what you have to say.” 

“No, I won’t! I, I can’t!” 

“I swear if you don’t I will punch you and you might never be able to recover from it.” Clark said that hoping it won’t come to this point, hoping he won’t lose control. 

“If you don’t follow me now, I will never be able to recover from it, I lo…”

 

 

Jerry was suddenly and violently pushed back before he could finish his sentence. 

 

Clark trips back and was going to fall if someone didn’t catch him.

 

“Clark! Clark! Are you ok?!” 

 

But someone did catch him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey  
> *acts like I did not take months to update*
> 
> "He was trying to keep track of positive things to convince himself that no, the course of his life was not being written by some sort of sadistic."
> 
> I legitimately wrote this and THEN realized I was talking about me ahahaha ahah ah.


	5. Chapter 5

 

“Lex?” His friend was helping him to get back on his feet. Once standing, Clark couldn’t let go scared to go down again. 

“It’s me, I got you.” He led him to his car and had the decency to remain silence and offer him some water so that he could come back to himself. 

“Can we grab something to eat?” Clark asked after some classic music he was still not able to name after all the lessons Lex gave him finished playing.

“Sure.” 

 

 

 

Clark ended up on the most fancy and empty restaurant he over saw, he was thinking of getting pizza but he didn’t have the heart to break Lex’ one. He just sat down and stared at the outstanding view they had over the city from there. 

“So, what happened back there?” 

“I have no idea, and I honestly don’t want to know.” 

“Well, I do.” 

“Well, good luck figure this out.” He said smiling, he knew Lex had more chances than him to do so. 

 

 

Clark stuffed his mouth with food he didn’t know about because it was the way it was possibly going to be the most useful. He listened to his friend talk about how things were going, again, not able to understand everything, because Lex definitely had his own world. Every now and then Clark was not sure what he was doing into it, then the businessman would tell him he is the family he chose and that made him remember he didn’t have the right to doubt him no matter how apart their world could be. 

“Thank you Lex.” He probably cut him in a sentence saying that given the look on his friend’s face. 

“For what?” 

“Everything.” 

 

“Sorry to interrupt...” They both looked up surprised to be disturbed in such an empty place. Clark would have probably died right away if he had had food in his month, thankfully, his luck decided to come to life at the perfect moment. 

He thought it lasted forever. He thought this vision would never end, ever, even after he would be gone. He thought such a canonical beauty could only be a piece of art meant to be there to be looked at and enjoyed. He thought that sculpted body couldn’t belong to a simple mortal like him. He thought the white rose it was holding could never possibly fade. He thought he could live the rest of his time only smelling the perfume. He thought it couldn’t be possible. He thought this divinity glowing in a light he seemed to producing himself couldn’t actually be looking down at him. He thought this moment was everything left on earth but he also thought it wasn’t’ happening. He thought it was the first and last time he felt Bruce Wayne that close. 

But it only lasted a moment before Lex answered: “Bruce, what a pleasant surprise.” 

Bruce let his eyes wonder on Clark longer than needed before turning to Lex offering his hand. “Same here old friend, same here.” 

They shook hands, Clark could see it was a strong one as their knuckles went white and their looks dark. It seemed they were having a sort of fight. He knew Lex hated Bruce, he wasn’t even able to bring up the subject to him, but he never imagined it was that important, and even less that it went both ways. 

 

“What brings you here?” Lex asks eager to see him go. 

“I had something to ask to this wonder of a young man who you have the privilege to eat with.” He turned back to Clark, the wonder’s heart stopping as the divinity eyes land on it. “It’s a blessing to finally be able to meet you properly, Clark.” He showed him his hand and Clark’s one slowly but surely slides on it, he then leant forward leaving his warm lips on the burning skin for a kiss. He got back on his normal straight posture not letting the hand go, “Would you do me the honor to be at my sides for the upcoming charity ball, please?” 

“I…” 

“Sorry my friend, Clark is already going with me!” Lex said, lying. 

Clark turned to him not hiding his surprise. He couldn’t find his words the fact that Lex was smiling making him even more confused. 

“That is such a peaty…” Bruce pressed his thumb on the back of Clark’s hand demanding his attention. Clark looked at him surprised to find a darker version of the brown eyes. “I would rather go alone on this one than without you…”He said before squatting as closed to Clark as ever. ”So make sure to come and find me, I will be waiting for you.” He rose an eyebrow waiting for an answer and Clark nodded because it was all the sense he had left allowed him to do. “And please, do accept this.” Bruce gave him the rose and dropped a tiny box on Clark’s pocket before going back to his feet. 

“See you around Lex.” He said looking at Clark a bit longer before going. 

 

 

Clark didn’t have the time to process anything as Lex snatched the rose away from his hand. 

“What are you doing?” Lex looked at the rose closely, analyzing it as if it was something suspicious. Clark wasn’t feeling any of this, he hated the look on his friend’s face that he knew way too well. Lex was in rage. “Give it back, please Lex.”

Lex looked up at him, then back to the rose before tearing it apart. “What the fuck Lex?!’’ He threw it down crushing it with his foot. Clark stood up outraged and struck. “What is wrong with you?! He gave it to me, Bruce gave me some…” 

“Come on it’s just a flower, I can get you a million like these.” Lex said like it was the most logical thing ever. 

 

Clark thought he was about to cry, then he realized tears were already going down his cheeks. “What… why?” He had been waiting for it for years, and his best friend just crashed everything with his foot, what was wrong with his life? Lex didn’t seem to be interested to give an answer and just stared. Clark took some petals on the floor as he was trying to save some pieces of his heart and stood back up. 

“Come on Clark! I was just messing with you…” The disbelief in Lex’ voice made it easier to walk away. 

 

 

 

Back on his couch Clark was staring at the tiny box Bruce gave him earlier, just how he had been staring at it all the way home. He had been staring at it and thinking, thinking his boss lost it turning sympathetic, Jerry lost it saying things that didn’t make sense, Lex lost it blindly hating Bruce… everyone lost it. Clark thought that, hoping what was in the box would allowed him not to lose it too. 

He closed his eyes and opened it. 


	6. chapter 6

This lapel pin was given to Mister Kent four years ago. Clark’s father had saved an entire classroom hiding the children in their barn during a hurricane. Clark remembers that he kept it in the drawer of his desk where no one could see it. He wasn’t fond of getting the attention, in his mind it was just something anyone else would have done. Getting out of your safe house putting your life at risks to rescue a group of people you didn’t know and owned nothing to. So he just kept it in the back of a drawer only his son and wife knew the existence of. Bruce having a hold of it meant he and Mister Kent met at some point in time three years ago, before the farmer passed away. 

 

When Clark got to call his mother he asked for more information, he knew his parents told everything to each other, but she answered that she didn’t know anything. Now Martha Kent lied to his son only a very few time in her life but this was one of them. Clark could tell, he felt heartbroken that she didn’t trust him to handle the truth either. Just like Lex didn’t trust him enough to let him know why he wanted him to stay away from Bruce. He came to wonder if he had ever been trusted at all. Maybe there was something no one ever told him that he needed to know since the beginning. 

Once more he didn’t know what to do. But this time he knew what not to do, he knew he wasn’t, for once, going to do what people expected him to, he wasn’t going to show up for the charity ball tonight. Avoiding any human interaction for days allowed him to set his priorities. He needed to get to his mother and face her. He needed to do the same with Bruce but he unfortunately had no means to. He only found a bus ticket for the weekend so he had no other choice but to wait. 

 

 

 

Later this night, while he was going through information about Bruce trying to find a connection with his father, he heard a knock at the door. He stopped, it was too late for anyone to come here, he must have misheard, or it was meant for his neighbor… He was trying to get his concentration back when he hears much louder knocking at the door. This time he stood up to go get it. Usually he is fearless but here he just got reckless. 

 

As soon as he unlocks the door the person behind pushes it open getting in. Clark stumbles back but manages to stay on his feet. 

“Clark,” says Jerry breathless. He is dressed in all black, has several injuries on his face and his eyes look bigger than ever. He looks scary. “Clark you need to come with me, please, I’m asking nicely just one last time, follow me.”

“Why? Where?” Clark can’t believe he is in this situation again, his heart doesn’t like it.

“I will explain latter, right now, we don’t have time! You need to come, just trust me!” Jerry shouts taking steps toward Clark. 

Clark backs off “I don’t trust you Jerry, why do you except me to trust you?”

“Because, I care about you Clark, look, my job it’s to protect you, I came to the newspaper just to keep an eye on you, when you got seek I sent food to your house, I paid your hospital bill, I came to visit you, I kept you away from Bruce Wayne…”

“Wait that was you?! Why do I have to stay away from Bruce Wayne?” 

“Because he hates us, he wants us dead!”

“Us who?”

“Look,” Jerry checks his watch and sighs. “We need to go, right, now” He shows his hand to Clark hoping he would take it. 

“No, I can’t.” Clark was never able to tell Jerry was going to do him wrong before but this time he does, everything tells him to stay away. 

“Ok, you let me no choice.” He pulls a gun out of nowhere and points it straight at Clark. “Follow me and I won’t hurt you.” 

Clark takes a step back, his heart has never beaten as fast before, he is more upset than he is scared. 

“So much for wanting to protect me.” 

“I’m doing this for you own good.” 

 

Jerry is getting closer, soon Clark won’t be able to move. He looks around for a solution. One appears behind Jerry. He just hopes he isn’t hallucinating. 

 

 

Bruce is approaching Jerry’s back an index on his lips asking Clark to keep quiet. 

Clark stops moving, so does Jerry once his gun is one inch away from Clark’s chest. When the blonde takes a step aside, Bruce pats his shoulder, Jerry turns around swiftly, but Bruce seems to have inhuman reflexes to, he disarms him in two moves and knocks him out with the third. 

“Are you alright?” He asks turning to Clark. He doesn’t get any answer. “Clark.” Bruce reaches him, putting a strong hand on the back of his neck to look at him in the eyes. “Clark, are you alright?” Clark nods one time. They are so close that the tip of their nose brush when he does so. “Good, would you come with me now?” Clarks nods again and follows Bruce blindly only aware of the touch of their hands holding on each other. 

 


End file.
